


Burn Out

by FireEye



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fuck Or Die, trope bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-25
Updated: 2013-04-25
Packaged: 2017-12-09 12:09:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/774037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireEye/pseuds/FireEye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If you're dying anyway, what's one last push?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Burn Out

“This is ridiculous,” Shepard murmured.  A groan creaked out of her throat as she fought her body to sit up, only to hunch over.  Arms trembling, she dug her fingers into the blanket, and arched one skeptical eyebrow at him.

“Yeah, okay, you’re right; it is ridiculous,” Kaidan admitted.  “But it’s also true.  A flood of hormones will denature the pathogen.”

“You sure you aren’t merely fishing to get laid one last time before...”  Shepard trailed off, mouth moving over half-formed, voiceless words.  It was stupidly difficult to fathom – she stared death in the face often enough, how was this malingering wasting away any different?

But her bones ached.  Her fingers itched for her sidearm, and she curled them into a fist to keep her hand from shaking.  A breathless scoff died on her lips, as Kaidan’s forehead came to rest against hers.

“You’re not going to die.”  His mouth found the plane of her cheek, and traveled along the ridge of her jaw.  Nuzzling her ear, he pleaded, “Trust me?”

Her fingers curled in his hair, and a snicker rose in Shepard’s throat, gasping between her teeth.  “Love you.”

Kaidan froze, and pulled far enough back to study her face.  She had always been difficult to read; layered beneath her guarded expression and the sardonic glint in her eyes was an exhausted, almost brazen resignation.  Defiance tightened her lips, but they melted under his own; her arms slid loosely around his neck, and his hand splayed between her shoulders.  When they parted, her soft sigh filled his embrace and brushed against his ear.

“You are not going to die,” he repeated.  His fingers tangled with the clasps to her harness, while his soft kisses promised with silent, unwavering certainty, _I’m not going to let you_.

~*~

She toyed with his fingers, while they twitched out of her grasp, until at long last, Kaidan stirred awake behind her.  He clamped his hand down on top of hers, putting an end to her lax entertainment, and she intertwined her fingers with his.

“The brass isn’t going to like this.”

“It was in the line of duty.”

“There is that.” Shepard mused, “Although I’m not certain they would admit to the extensiveness of your, ah... methods, shall we call it, as being wholly necessary.”

Kaidan shifted.  “It’s called being thorough.”

Shepard snorted.

“I’m sure they’d come down on me twice as hard if I’d let you die.”  Kaidan tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear.  “How’re you feeling?”

“Better.  Not much, but better.”  The commander allowed her eyes the liberty of drifting shut, sighing deeply.  “Think maybe I’ll sleep under the bed and call it a day.”

Instead, her nebulous plans were shattered as Kaidan nibbled at the back of her neck.  Taken off guard, Shepard gasped, and his fingers kneaded firm, tight circles along the curve of her hip.

“ _This_ ,” she hissed, arching into his rhythm, “is not in the line of duty.”

“Not one bit,” Kaidan replied, breath warming her skin.


End file.
